Is there such a thing as lasting peace? We all clamor for it but up to now, the world tells us there is none. We can only temper conflicts, stabilize political upheavals, moderate cultural differences and try to seek longer respites from random spikes of turbulence. Mankind’s instinct to survive makes the search for the elusive peace a never-ending proposal. With no definitive formula, we must always retry or continue this aspiration. In a negotiation, a good start is one premised on what both sides can give rather than take. There should be no design to distort facts as that will only raise doubts and will consequently convert hope to fear and distrust.

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Capitalism’s morality or the lack of it is the bigger question. Bumping off people is no big deal in airlines. It says a lot about Corporate America who is more concerned with accounting figures than human faces. Yes, people are faceless, identified only with their seat numbers on their boarding passes. Dignity and conscience are not their favorite values but corporate ground rule is their regular fetish.

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A customer’s degradation is far from the consistent spirit of profit and survival. Paying or non-paying passengers do not exist in in-flight safety manuals. Either you stay or off you go.

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Sad but true, bank tellers are not concerned whether an airlines’ deposits were bloodstained or not. Wearing that mask of capitalism and free enterprise, and armed with their fallacious ads of smiling staff and promises to offer an enjoyable voyage in the clouds, airlines ruthlessly think that inconvenience can be bought to settle the matter and sleep soundly until the next sunrise.

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Pay business or first class and they genuflect to give you anything you want. Pay 1/4 of the price in economy and they become blind and deaf to your struggles to stow your luggage in the overhead cabins. But wait, they’re eagle-eyed when it comes to skin color, always ready to give the corresponding race code treatment in their operation manuals. Everyone is “Mr. Smith” until one complains quickly shifting the label to “Mr. Asshole.”

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Defenders of United Airlines point to Chicago Police officers as the ones to be blamed in handling the situation. Thanks for trying gentlemen, but sorry it was a mistake to put the blame on someone else. The main cause of the controversy is OVERBOOKING. Plain and simple.

“Fly the Friendly Skies” is United Airlines’ marketing slogan. It is now working hard on “Fly with the Friendly Plane.”

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On United Airlines controversy: I have yet to hear the slightest whimper of criticism from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Oh well, I forgot… I was just reminded that the incident happened in America.

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Sad to note that some critics will side with ISIS, Syria, Russia, and North Korea just because they HATE the United States. And you call yourselves peace advocates? I simply cannot find the word ‘PEACE” associated with the names mentioned.

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To those US haters trying to defend North Korea, no one is forcing you to stay here. Walk the talk, apply for a visa and migrate to Pyongyang and enjoy paradise soonest.

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TRIVIA – Why the MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS?

(Source: Slash Gear and Wikipedia)

GBU-43B, or MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon) is the US military’s largest non-nuclear bomb, which contains 11 tons of explosives.

It was developed for the United States military by Albert L. Weimorts, Jr. of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The bomb was designed to be delivered by a C-130 Hercules, primarily the MC-130E Combat Talon I or MC-130H Combat Talon II variants.

It was dropped on ISIL-Khorasan cave complex in Achin District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

This bomb employs a built-in GPS system and gyroscopes to guide it to its target. This bomb has a 40.5-inch diameter and is 30 ft 1.75 inches long.

The MOAB is not a penetrator weapon and is primarily intended for soft to medium surface targets covering extended areas and targets in a contained environment such as a deep canyon or within a cave system.

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The MOAB is manufactured by McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma. This device is a 21,000-pound fuel-air-explosive weapon. According to The National Review, the explosion generated by MOAB resembles “a small nuclear detonation.”

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Up to 36 suspected Islamic State militants were killed in Afghanistan when the US dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat, the Afghan defense ministry said on Friday.

– Each MOAB bomb is estimated to cost $16 million. Ooooops.

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Trump is on a roll. Syrian chemical depot bombing, dropping the biggest bomb in Afghanistan and deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group in the Korean Peninsula – don’t blame him. The poor guy wants to keep his campaign promise: “To make America great again.”

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Reminder: Tropical Depression “Crising,” which may bring moderate to occasionally heavy rain within its 250 km diameter, continues on a west-northwest direction at 22-55 kph. It is expected to make landfall over Samar island on Saturday afternoon, April 15 and Luzon on April 16 Sunday.

PAGASA also projected that Crising would be:
• 70 kms west of Masbate City, Masbate by Sunday morning,

• 200 kms northwest of Coron, Palawan by Monday morning,

• 310 kms west-southwest of Iba, Zambales by Tuesday morning, and

• 340 kms west-northwest of Iba, Zambales by Wednesday morning.

Be safe everyone.

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Many survived not eating meat this Holy Week. They endured a diet of seafoods like lobsters, crabs, prawns, oysters and seabass. Congrats to all.

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Nobody lives forever but I am sure that through the love of God Almighty, I am still able to write this to be read by my equally blessed friends. HAPPY EASTER.

GMA News: Man stung by scorpion on United Airlines flight. A United airlines passenger said he was stung by a scorpion that fell on his head from an overhead bin during a flight from Houston to Calgary on Sunday (April 9, 2017).

– They’re really overbooking. But the scorpion did not carry the usual boarding pass.